11 signs you actually have food poisoning and not a stomach bug

VGstockstudio/ ShutterstockWhat you think is a stomach bug could be food poisoning.

According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), food poisoning affects one in sixAmericans each year. There are more than 250 foodborne diseases caused by bacteria, chemicals, parasites, and viruses, so the chances of you contracting something nasty from an innocent-looking meal aren’t that remote.

When you start feeling queasy after dinner, how can you tell if it’s food poisoning or the stomach flu?

Here are a few signs you have food poisoning and not just a stomach virus.

You start feeling sick right after eating.

NBC Universal TelevisionFood poisoning can happen right after eating.

If you start getting queasy right after eating, you might be dealing with food poisoning.

Neck stiffness is a distinctive symptom of listeriosis that usually doesn’t present in cases of a stomach virus, reported the CDC. This stiffness is more common in older people and those with a compromised immune system.

The CDC also reported that pregnant Hispanic women are 24 times more likely to get listeriosis than the general population.

You have a bad headache.

Sarah Schmalbruch/INSIDERBlinding headaches are also a sign of listeriosis.

According to the CDC,a blinding headache can also be a sign of listeriosis. This symptom is most commonly seen in older adults and people who have been diagnosed with another medical condition such as diabetes, HIV/AIDS, liver disease, or kidney disease.

Interestingly, pregnant women with a Listeria infection usually don’t experience common symptoms of the illness such as headache, stiff neck, confusion, and loss of balance.

Your vision is blurred.

Kichigin/ ShutterstockBlurred vision can be a result of botulism, a rare type of food poisoning.

Botulism is a rare type of food poisoning that can cause permanent damage to your body and even lead to death. It’s commonly contracted from the consumption of improperly canned or fermented foods.

Though botulism is very rare, it is an extremely serious illness and you should contact medical professionals if you suspect you have it.

Your speech is slurred.

Milan Ilic Photographer/ShutterstockDifficulty breathing can also be a sign of botulism.

The NHS advised that slurred speech can be a sign of botulism. The toxins produced by the botulism bacteria attack the nervous system and can paralyse muscles, including those involved in speaking.

Botulism symptoms tend to start in the head and work their way down as the severity of the illness increases, cautioned the CDC. This means that in the case of botulism, you’re more likely to experience vision problems before paralysis of any lower facial muscles.

Of course, if you’re feeling queasy after a few too many glasses of wine with dinner, alcohol is more likely to be behind the slurred speech.

Though it’s also possible to become dehydrated while battling a stomach bug, Healthline also reported that food poisoning often causes prolonged vomiting or diarrhoea that can lead an individual to experience severe dehydration very quickly.

If you’re unable to keep fluids down and start experiencing severe thirst, you should call your doctor for guidance or treatment.

Feeling terrible in the morning and good as new by evening is a sign that you were probably dealing with food poisoning and not a stomach bug.

Fellow diners are also feeling ill.

Flickr/abrackinIf everyone you at with also feels sick, chances are it’s food poisoning.

If you and your friends all ate the same potato salad and are now all doubled up in pain, chances are that food poisoning is to blame.

Healthline advised that the incubation period of most common stomach bugs is between 24 and 48 hours. This means that transmitting a virus from person to person would cause each individual to show symptoms at different times. If you and your friends have all fallen in within a few hours of each other, contaminated food is the more likely source.